Unpacking patient concerns: the patient perspective on penicillin allergy testing
Published online: August 23, 2024
More than 90% of patients with a documented penicillin allergy label can safely tolerate penicillin. Therefore, penicillin allergy testing is recommended for patients who experienced a reaction to penicillin-like antibiotics in the past. False penicillin allergy labels can be dangerous, as they are associated with longer hospital stays and an increased likelihood of developing resistant organisms since doctors will typically avoid all antibiotics in the penicillin family.
A recent article published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice by Augustino et al. aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the patients’ perspective across a population historically under-represented in drug allergy research to better promote penicillin allergy education and testing. Surveys were administered to patients at Parkland Health, the safety-net hospital system for Dallas County, who received penicillin allergy testing at the institution and were deemed as not having a true penicillin allergy.
A total of 100 patient surveys were completed. The researchers found that most patients were unaware of the availability of penicillin allergy testing before it was recommended to them. Only a few commented on their bad experiences associated with avoiding penicillin-like antibiotics. Patients also expressed initial concerns related to the penicillin allergy testing. Most were worried about having a bad reaction during the test. However, these concerns were alleviated with targeted education. The majority of patients who underwent testing had a positive experience and would recommend it to others. Notably, a minority of patients did not trust the results of the test and preferred to continue avoiding penicillins in the future. Future studies are needed to better categorize the perceptions of the penicillin allergy label and testing across different populations.
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice is an official journal of the AAAAI, focusing on practical information for the practicing clinician.
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